ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Federation Baseball will wait until Friday evening for the Indian team to arrive in Islamabad for the West Asia Cup before taking a definitive decision on the tournament’s format.

India’s squad, which received its visas on Tuesday night, was stopped at the Wagah border on Wednesday by officials of their own country and are awaiting a No-Objection Certificate from their government to enter Pakistan.

PFB president Fakhar Ali Shah told a news conference at the Pakistan Sport Complex that if India were unable to reach till Friday, when the West Asia Cup begins with the opening match between Pakistan and Afghanistan, then the tournament will become a six-team event.

Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Palestine have already arrived in Islamabad and captains of all the teams were present at the news conference.

West Asia Cup begins today

“If India are able to reach till Friday evening, we can adjust them,” Fakhar told reporters, displaying a video message by Indian Baseball Federation general secretary Harish Kumar, who is accompanying the 20-member squad.

Kumar said that the IBF was making efforts to get clearance from their government by Friday morning in order to reach Islamabad by the evening.

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2023